Simone Magill discusses her journey to professional football to mark International Women’s Day

During the interview, the Magherafelt woman discusses her journey to professional football, from developing her passion for football as a child to how she became the first female Northern Irish footballer to sign a full-time professional contract.

Simone also talks about the barriers to women and girls participating in football, and the discrimination and inequalities in professional sports and media coverage towards women.

Alyson Kilpatrick, Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, said: “We’re delighted to have Simone Magill join us on the podcast and to launch it on International Women’s Day.

The determination, hard-work, and resilience that Simone has demonstrated in achieving her dreams is hugely inspirational to other women and girls in achieving their own potential. Sport can be a great way to empower women and girls whilst championing human rights, and on International Women’s Day we call for equality and the realisation of rights for all in sport.”

To listen to the podcast search ‘Rights at the Finish Line’ on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Google Podcast.

The Aston Villa and Northern Ireland International, added: “It was great to share my story to highlight how far we’ve come in terms of the participation, equality, and inclusion of women and girls in the footballing world. The podcast was also an opportunity to shine a light on the many issues and barriers we still need to address.”